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Greg In Hollywood’s Big Gay Emmy preview!
If Neil Patrick Harris wins the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series tonight for How I Met Your Mother, he will be a three-time Emmy winner this year.
The ludicrously talented actor took home trophies at last week’s Creative Arts Emmys for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for Glee and for hosting the 2009 Tony Awards.
But even if Neil does not win again tonight, there’s a darn good chance – at least a 50 percent chance – that the winner will be an openly gay male.
Including NPH, three of the actors nominated are out: Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) and Chris Colfer (Glee). Another actor, Eric Stonestreet, is straight but nominated for playing a gay character on Modern Family. The fifth nominee is Ty Burrell who is straight and plays straight on Modern Family.
“It’s amazing that we’re so well represented this year,” Ferguson tells Greg In Hollywood. “Eric is playing a gay character as well and [out actress and Glee star] Jane Lynch. It’s awesome, I’m really excited about it.”
“I don’t think it has anything really to do with our sexuality,” he added. “It’s just that there’s a lot of really great actors on TV and great roles and some of them happen to be gay. I think it’s just a product of good acting and I’m really happy to be amongst those people – I’m fans of all of them and I’m very proud of all of them.”
Out director Paris Barclay was thrilled so see 20-year-old Colfer (pictured above) in the field: “When I heard Chris had gotten a nomination, that was the one nomination that blew me out of my chair. I was so happy for him. I’m so envious of him. To be that comfortable with what he does and with who he is at this stage is highly unusual. He’s also really amusing in real life and a really good person. I’m just hoping he stays that way and he doesn’t become a spoiled brat!”
Barclay, nominated in the directing category, is competing against Glee’s openly gay creator Ryan Murphy who is also nominated for writing and is an executive producer.
Dante Di Loreto, one of Glee’s executive producers, told me he was thrilled with the LGBT showing in this year’s Emmy nominations: “I think the gays are extremely well represented but not just doing gay roles. It’s great that Neil Patrick Harris in a straight role gets a nomination then Chris in a gay role does, Jane is playing a straight woman. Didn’t [Sue Sylvester] want to have sex with Neil Patrick Harris? I think what’s great about it is we’re kind of going to get through this barrier of can gay actors play straight roles. The Academy acknowledging these different actors in these roles is fantastic.”
Jane Lynch, who earned two Emmy nods this year (the other for a guest spot on Two and a Half Men), has a strong chance to take home supporting actress in a comedy with her Sue Sylvester being one of the biggest breakout characters of the year. There is also a feeling that she is due after such a long career of quality work.Also nominated: Out actor Sir Ian McKellen in the category of outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or a movie for his performance in The Prisoner; out performer Wanda Sykes for writing her HBO special I’ma Be Me; and actress Archie Panjabi is nominated in the supporting actress category for playing a lesbian character in The Good Wife.
Other out nominees this year included Lily Tomlin for Damages and Alan Cumming for The Good Wife. Their guest acting categories have already been announced and neither won.
Also of LGBT interest: Beau Bridges was nominated for playing a transgender character in an episode of The Closer and Mike O’Malley for his moving performance as the father of gay teen Kurt on Glee.
FILE UNDER: Awards
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